the WOOBI play air pollution mask meets kids at eye-level with a playful approach

danish industrial design studio kilo designs an air pollution mask for children in collaboration with singapore health-tech startup airmotion laboratories. the ‘WOOBI play’ mask is designed to meet children at eye-level with a playful, educational approach.

all images © kilo design

kilo’s ‘WOOBI’ air pollution mask, suitable for kids from 6 years of age, comes disassembled with an educational manual. its modular system encourages children and parents to put the parts together, piece by piece, to build the finished product. this interaction helps them to understand the product’s functionality and introduces a dialogue on pollution and protection. the different colored parts act as a simplifying tool for communication around the product’s functionality and allow kids to customize the mask the way they like it, giving them a sense of ownership and autonomy over their own safety.

the air pollution mask uses an approved and certified micro high-efficiency particulate arrestance (HEPA) filter, positioned at the side to filter at least 95% of airborne particulate matter. compared to more conventional masks on the market which typically hide the face, ‘WOOBI’s’ asymmetric design and its translucent, medical-grade silicone structure aims to achieve effective protection while remaining sensitive to the social needs of its users.

designed with a clear focus on creating a simple solution for kids in need of cleaner air – it offers a new high-performance solution to air protection. the mask features a strong and playful character that looks different, while performing better than existing products on the market. working to improve the lives of kids around the globe, ‘WOOBI play’ will be first introduced in china, one of the world’s most highly polluted countries, where the increasing air pollution continues to be a major public health issue. 

lars larsen, founder & head of design at kilo, comments, ‘our planet is facing some serious challenges these days… in 2016, unicef reported that 300 million children live in areas with the most toxic recorded levels of outdoor air pollution. WOOBI offers a solution to improve the living conditions of these kids around the world. this project is a bold shot at designing a simple, new typology that transforms a professional, protective mask to fit into a child’s universe.’